Delta State Government has assured residents that it will give nothing to chance as it collaborates with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to curb the spread of cholera outbreaks in the state.
The Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, gave the assurance while speaking in Asaba on the efforts the state government has made in curbing the spread of the disease in the state recently.
He disclosed that from the three outbreaks that occurred in February, March, and June 2024, a total of 118 cases were recorded in the state without any deaths.
“Cholera is basically a water-borne disease, and that is why it is common in riverine areas. We have some local government areas that we call hotspot areas, but fortunately we have not recorded any cases there, such as Ughelli South, Warri South, Warri South West, and Warri North. We are currently having it only in Warri South West and in only three wards in the Council Area.
“We have actually curtailed it in the state, and we are working closely with the NCDC to provide commodities for the patients. We are also doing a lot of advocacy, and I use this medium to enjoin the media to help spread the message that the disease is preventable,” the commissioner explained.
On her part, the state epidemiologist, Dr Mildred Okowa, said the state government is using a multi-sectoral and multi-partner response to address the spread of the disease.
“It is important to note that it is not just the Ministry of Health; we are also working closely with the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Water Resources, and we have had several meetings. We are working closely with community leaders who are helping to spread the message to our people,” the state epidemiologist explained.
She said that cholera is a waterborne disease transmitted by contaminated food and water but can be prevented through practicing personal hygiene such as washing the hands with soap and running water and ensuring the environment is kept clean at all times.
Dr. Okowa condemned any form of open defecation practice and scenarios where people tend to defecate in the open and even into the water bodies that people drink from, which propagates the disease.
According to her, “Health promotion officers who are also part of the community are talking to residents in Warri south-west in a language they can understand, speaking to them about what cholera is, the dangers, and how they can prevent it.”
The health promotion officers, she explained, are visiting schools, markets, places of worship, and other public places, while the social mobilisation unit in the Ministry of Health has also been drawn to meet with the State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria and traditional rulers.
The unit is also leveraging community radio to disseminate information on cholera preventive measures, town hall meetings, community dialogues and engagements, and also, in each sensitization outreach, carry the Ward Development Committee (WDC) members along.
She advised that “in the event of one having watery diarrhoea, the person must report to the nearest health facility immediately, as it can lead to severe dehydration that can lead to death.”
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